Origins & Early Life

Mervyn Laurence Peake (9 July 1911 – 17 November 1968) was a British writer, artist, poet, and illustrator. He is best known for what are usually referred to as the Gormenghast books. The four works were part of what Peake conceived as a lengthy cycle, the completion of which was prevented by his death. They are sometimes compared to the work of his older contemporary J.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

R. R. Tolkien, but Peake's surreal fiction was influenced by his early love for Charles Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson rather than Tolkien's studies of mythology and philology. Peake also wrote poetry and literary nonsense in verse form, short stories for adults and children (Letters from a Lost Uncle, 1948), stage and radio plays, and Mr Pye (1953), a relatively tightly structured novel in which God implicitly mocks the evangelical pretensions and cosy world-view of the eponymous hero. Peake first made his reputation as a painter and illustrator during the 1930s and 1940s, when he lived in London, and he was commissioned to produce portraits of well-known people.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

For a short time at the end of World War II he was commissioned by various newspapers to depict war scenes. A collection of his drawings is still in the...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahmed Urabi — Contemporary (Died in 1911) (1911): Pioneering Egyptian military and political leader who spearheaded the 'Urabi Revolt.
• Aly Khan — Contemporary (Born in 1911) (1911): Diplomat, socialite, and former Pakistani Ambassador to the UN.
• Ashok Kumar — Contemporary (Born in 1911) (1911): Pioneering superstar and master character actor of Hindi cinema.
• Ajay Devgn — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker known for diverse roles in Hindi cinema.
• Alexander Gettler — Contemporary (Died in 1968) (1968): Pioneering American forensic toxicologist and father of modern medicolegal investigation.
• Alfredo Reinado — Contemporary (Born in 1968) (1968): East Timorese military commander and rebel leader during the 2006 crisis.
• Alice Paul — Shared historical date (07-09 · Died) (1977): Pioneering American suffragist and feminist leader for women's constitutional rights.
• Amanda Knox — Shared historical date (07-09 · Born) (1987): American author and comedian known for her highly publicized trial in Perugia, Italy.
• Abba Eban — Shared historical date (11-17 · Died) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• August Ferdinand Möbius — Shared historical date (11-17 · Born) (1790): Pioneering German mathematician and theoretical astronomer known for foundational work in topology.
• 1911 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1911
• July 9 (07-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 9
• 1968 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1968
• November 17 (11-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 17